Modulation of Skin Inflammatory Responses by Aluminum Adjuvant
Yanhang Liao,
Lixiang Sun,
Meifeng Nie,
Jiacheng Li,
Xiaofen Huang,
Shujun Heng,
Wenlu Zhang,
Tian Xia,
Zhuolin Guo,
Qinjian Zhao,
Ling-juan Zhang
Affiliations
Yanhang Liao
State Key Laboratory of Cellular Stress Biology, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361002, China
Lixiang Sun
State Key Laboratory of Cellular Stress Biology, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361002, China
Meifeng Nie
State Key Laboratory of Molecular Vaccinology and Molecular Diagnostics, National Institute of Diagnostics and Vaccine Development in Infectious Diseases, School of Public Health, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361002, China
Jiacheng Li
State Key Laboratory of Cellular Stress Biology, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361002, China
Xiaofen Huang
State Key Laboratory of Molecular Vaccinology and Molecular Diagnostics, National Institute of Diagnostics and Vaccine Development in Infectious Diseases, School of Public Health, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361002, China
Shujun Heng
State Key Laboratory of Cellular Stress Biology, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361002, China
Wenlu Zhang
State Key Laboratory of Cellular Stress Biology, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361002, China
Tian Xia
State Key Laboratory of Cellular Stress Biology, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361002, China
Zhuolin Guo
Department of Dermatology, Shanghai Tenth People’s Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200443, China
Qinjian Zhao
College of Pharmacy, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016, China
Ling-juan Zhang
State Key Laboratory of Cellular Stress Biology, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361002, China
Aluminum salt (AS), one of the most commonly used vaccine adjuvants, has immuno-modulatory activity, but how the administration of AS alone may impact the activation of the skin immune system under inflammatory conditions has not been investigated. Here, we studied the therapeutic effect of AS injection on two distinct skin inflammatory mouse models: an imiquimod (IMQ)-induced psoriasis-like model and an MC903 (calcipotriol)—induced atopic dermatitis-like model. We found that injection of a high dose of AS not only suppressed the IMQ-mediated development of T-helper 1 (Th1) and T-helper 17 (Th17) immune responses but also inhibited the IMQ-mediated recruitment and/or activation of neutrophils and macrophages. In contrast, AS injection enhanced MC903-mediated development of the T-helper 2 (Th2) immune response and neutrophil recruitment. Using an in vitro approach, we found that AS treatment inhibited Th1 but promoted Th2 polarization of primary lymphocytes, and inhibited activation of peritoneal macrophages but not bone marrow derived neutrophils. Together, our results suggest that the injection of a high dose of AS may inhibit Th1 and Th17 immune response-driven skin inflammation but promote type 2 immune response-driven skin inflammation. These results may provide a better understanding of how vaccination with an aluminum adjuvant alters the skin immune response to external insults.
